Record form



A ril 16, 1935. H. A. TOULMIN, JR

RECORD FORM Filed, Dec. 28. 1934 OOOOOAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO oooonovoooooooooooooo 7 n J J n H m s fi m 19 a n D C B A D C B A L.-- L

o ooooonw oo o0 .oooooo 0uo0ooo o W ATTORNEYS! Patented Apr. 16, 1935 PATENT OFFICE 1,997,840 RECORD FORM Harry A.

Business Corners, Inc.

Toulmin, Jr., Dayton, Ohio, assignor to of Delaware, Dayton,

Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application December 28, 1934, Serial No. 759,540

9 Claims.

This invention relates to record forms.

It is the object of the invention to provide a record sheet for use with business forms, which may be of indefinite width or length and which may be inserted in typewriters of varying widths.

It is a further object to provide a form which can be folded in a narrow compass and which is so arranged that the summary of the data on each part of the form will be disclosed for quick reference when the form is folded.

It is a further object to providea form which can be unfolded without disturbing its relationship to other forms or removed from the place in which it is mounted.

It is a further object to provide a record sheet so arranged that the data entered on it may be segregated on different areas of the sheet and summarized and then folded so that either side of the sheet and any portion thereof may be read at will as the sheet is unfolded or the summary of the data on each area in the sheet may be read without unfolding. Heretofore in the art, the disadvantage of multiple records kept on cards and the like has been that the cards are necessarily short and narrow in order to have a suflicient number of cards to carry a large number of records. Such cards are diificult of entry on a typewriter because they are short and narrow. The amount of data which can be inserted on the cards is necessarily limited, and there is no means of comparing the data on a single subject classified in the subject without using a plurality of cards and without taking the cards for comparison purposes completely out of the record book card index file, or the like, with consequent inconvenience and dangerous loss of the records. It has been impossible to compare the summaries of data on such cards satisfactorily even when arranged one over the other. 3

By the present record sheet, it is possible to enter on a broad sheet of any width or length on both sides of the sheet in a standard typewriter all the data on a given subject classified in groups on each face of each fold of the sheet with the summary of the data at the bottom of the sheet. When the sheet is folded, it comes within the same width of an ordinary card index and the summary data can be read from the bottom of each of the folds of the sheet which are of successively diflerent lengths. A series of such sheets can be arranged in echelon position with respect to one another so that a large number of records can be kept in a small compass while at the same time securing the benefit of large record sheets, such as kept in journals and ledgers and which have heretofore not been possible of being kept within the scope of a card index file.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the front and record sheet extended;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the reverse side of the sheet;

Figure 3 is a plan view of two of the sheets folded in echelon with respect to one another the to illustrate the small compass in which the sheets may be stored and how they may be referred to in their stored condition by unfolding the sheets independent of one another without detachment from the storage position;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the sheet consists of a series of panels I, 2, 3 and 4. There may be any number of these panels. The panels are folded along the creased lines 5 in fan-fold form. When this is done, as shown in Figure 3, the left hand margins of the sheet I which is perforated at 6, will be exposed. This margin 1 is used for the mounting of the record sheet in a ring binder or other form of supporting means. The bottom of the sheet of the panel I is designated 8. The next higher bottom line of the panel 2 is designated 9, and the next higher bottom line of the panel 3 is designated Ill. The next higher bottom line of the panel 4 is designated II. The back of the form, shown in Figure 2, has the panels, l3, l4 and- I5. When the sheet is folded, as in Figure 3, the areas for summary data A, B, C and D are exposed and arranged one above the other so that the tabular summaries of the data on each one of the sheet faces involved may be read.

It will be observed that the sheet can be partially unfolded, it may be read on either side by moving it in the binder, as a fly leaf in a book, and it may be extended to its full length or a part of its length so that any one of the panels I, 2, 3, 4,12, I3, [4 and I5 can be observed and the data thereon read.

It will be noted that this same principle can be employed by making the width of the panels I, 2, 3, 4, l2, l3, l4 and I5 of progressively lesser width so that, when folded, the lateral margin on the right hand side of the folded form will disclose successive areas of the panels where additional tabular data may be entered. This is a further extension of the principle involved in this invention. Likewise, the attachment either on rings or some other suitable attaching means may be provided at the top of panel I instead of at the side and, if desired, the remaining panels may be cut away at their top to permit of this top attaching arrangement, or the panel i may be extended beyond its normal length for this purpose.

It will be understood that it is desired to comprehend within this invention such modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses.

Having thus fully described this invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A new article of manufacture'for use as a record sheet comprising a continuous sheet folded upon itself in a series of panels of different lengths whereby the bottom margin of each panel is disclosed when the sheet is folded.

2. A new article of manufacture for use as a record sheet comprising a continuous sheet folded upon itself in a series of panels of different lengths whereby the bottom margin of each panel is disclosed when the sheet is folded, and a marginal area on one of the panels for supporting the sheet.

3. A new article of manufacture for use as a record sheet comprising a continuous sheet folded upon itself in a series of panels of different lengths whereby the bottom margin of each panel is disclosed when the sheet is folded, and a marginal area on one of the panels for supporting the sheet, said marginal area having a plurality of perforations.

4. In a record system, a plurality of folded sheets, each sheet fan-folded on itself in a series of panels of different lengths so that a marginal area of each panel is disclosed when the sheet is folded, and means of arranging said sheets in echelon relationship so as to disclose only said marginal portions, and areas in each of said sheets having perforations adapted to be partially superimposed, and means for aligning said perforations partially one over the other while permitting the free movement of each of said sheets with respect to the other.

5. In combination, in a record sheet, of a plurality of hinged panels of successively lesser length, the tops of said panels being in substantial alignment and the bottoms overlapping one another when in folded condition, and means on one of the said panels for positioning all of the panels in a record container.

6. In combination, a ring binder having a plurality of rings, a plurality of echelon folded sheets partially overlapping having their perforations mounted on said rings, said sheets comprising a plurality of folded panels so arranged that when they are in their folded condition, the bottom areas of each panel will be exposed one above the other.

7. A new article of manufacture for use as a record form comprising a sheet folded upon itself in'a plurality of panels which are narrower than the length of each panel and in which each of the panels is shorter than the panel next below it when in folded condition.

8. A new article of manufacture for use as a record form comprising a sheet folded upon itself in a plurality of panels which are narrower than the length of each panel and in which each of the panels is shorter than the panel next below it when in folded condition, and a marginally exposed area formed on the lowermost panel whereby the sheet in its folded condition can be supported in a predetermined position.

9. A new article of manufacture for use as a record form comprising a sheet folded upon itself in a plurality of panels which are narrower than the length of each panel and in which each of the panels is shorter than the panel next below it when in folded condition, a marginally exposed area formed on the lowermost panel whereby the sheet in its folded condition can be supported in a predetermined position, and means for supporting the sheet so that it may be unfolded and folded without detaching it from its supporting means and can be turned so as to be read on either side whether in folded or unfolded condition.

HARRY A. TOULMIN, Jr. 

